What is being banned? Food ware such as "clamshell" takeout boxes made of expanded polystyrene or EPS. The material is popularly known as Styrofoam, but Dow Chemical Co., which trademarked that name, says it doesn't manufacture foodware.

What would the rules require? All San Jose food vendors would be required to switch to a non-foam food service ware alternatives such as paper and aluminum foil.

When would the rules take effect? Multi-state restaurant chains would switch by January 1, 2014. All others, including small neighborhood restaurants, would have an additional year to transition, and would need to switch by January 1, 2015.

What are the alternatives and what do they cost? Paper or rigid plastic, products made from organic materials such as corn, potato, or sugar cane fiber. Some cost more and some less than plastic foam. San Jose provides a list on the city's web site: www.sanjoseca.gov/eps.

Why ban plastic foam? The city says it is uniquely troublesome because it is stubbornly durable and also breaks apart easily, making it harder to collect for disposal.

What do critics say? Critics including business and restaurant groups argue the plastic foam can be recycled, something city officials dispute, and that the new requirement will add a costly burden to local business owners and deprive consumers of effective containers.

Advertisement

Who else is doing this? Some 70 other cities and local governments including Los Altos Hills, Oakland and the counties of Santa Clara, San Mateo and Los Angeles have banned plastic foam but San Jose is believed to be the largest city to do so.